Bearing construction for continuous centrifuge



June 1, 1954 F. P. GOQCH BEARING CONSTRUCTION FOR CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGE2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. 15, 1947 INVENTOR.

F RED P. GOOCH ATTORNEY Patented June 1, 1954 UNITED STATES OFFICEBEARING CONSTRUCTION FOR CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGE Fred P. Gooch, Media,Pa., assignor to The Sharples Corporation, a corporation of Delaware 4Claims. 1

This application is a division of my co-pendin application Serial No.722,124, filed January 15, 1947. The invention pertains to animprovement in centrifugal machines designed for separation of liquidfrom solids. More particularly, it is concerned with a machine of thistype in which a mixture of liquids and solids is continuously fed to therotor, liquid separated from the solids by rotation of the rotor duringsuch continuous feed, and the liquid and solid fractions separatelydischarged from the rotor.

Features of improvement involved in the present invention includeimproved means for preventing leakage of liquid under treatment tobearing surfaces and preventin leakage of lubricant from bearingsurfaces into the liquid under treatment.

The invention will be described in connection with a machine which, inits preferred form, includes rotating impeller means for impellingsolids longitudinally of the rotor to a discharge zone for said solids,and this impeller means is driven at a speed slightly different from thespeed of the rotor in order to effect the desired longitudinal movementof the solids.

Further features and advantages of the invention, and the manner inwhich they have been attained, will be evident from a reading of thefollowing detailed description in the light of the attached drawing, inwhich,

Figure l is an elevation partly in section along the center axis of amachine in which the invention is embodied;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line 22 of Figure 1;and

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, the machine illustrated includes a feed conduit I!)controlled by a valve II for delivery of a mixture of liquid and solidsinto the hollow centrifugal rotor designated generally I3. The solidsare impelled longitudinally of the rotor by a rotating scroll I4 of thenature of an impeller which causes these solids to move toward theright-hand end of the rotor as illustrated in Figure 1, at which end therotor and impeller are driven by means of a pulley I5. The drivingconnection between the two includes a gear box H3 at the opposite end ofthe machine interconnecting the drives of the rotor and impeller andcausin differential rotation of these two elements. A housing 20surrounds the rotor, the housing, rotor and associated parts beingsecured to a frame 2 I.

Slurry fed to the machine through feed conduit it passes through thevalve I I into conduit 22, which directs the slurry to a delivery zoneI2 in the central portion of the rotor, where the slurry is dischargedthrough a series of rotating blades 23 into the conical bowl 24 of rotorI3. Here the mixture undergoes centrifugation which deposits the heaviersolids on the inner wall of bowl 24, the liquid flowing through liquiddischarge ports 25 in end piece 26 of the rotor. Meanwhile, the solidsare moved along the inner wall of bowl 24 by the impeller I4 and aredischarged through solids-discharge ports 21 into a receiver in the formof a chute I9.

A portion of the solids may be discharged against the curviformcollectin shield 28 in the upper portion of receiver I9. Solids whichimpinge against this surface are removed therefrom by a pair of rotatingmembers 29, 30 passing closely adjacent to the surface of shield 28 asdescribed and claimed in co-pendin application Serial No. 328,699, filedDecember 30, 1952. Although these members may be rotated independentlyof the rotor, being supported in such case on bearings mounted on therotor or on any suitable supporting member, more conveniently they maybe formed as shown; i. e., as opposed curved rotating members orsurfaces attached to the rotor on opposite sides of discharge port 2?.These rotating members assist in conveying solids around the axis of therotor and depositing them in receiver I9.

The rotor I 3 is driven by means of pulley I5 attached to an end piece3! which is integral with bowl 24 of the rotor. Bearings 32 and 33mounted at opposite ends of frame 2! permit rotation of the rotor aboutits axis. The end piece 26 at the large end of the rotor is attached tobowl 24 of the rotor for rotation therewith. In turn, casin 35 of gearbox 56 is connected to end piece 26. Impeller I t is driven from shaft35, which is rotated at a speed diiiering from that of the casing 34.

The impeller may be composed of sections such as 36, El, 33 and 39, eachconnected to the other for rotation as a unit. The curviformsolids-conveying surface it may be connected to one or more of thesesections for rotation at an angular speed differin from the angularspeed of rotor I3. The impeller is supported by means of bearings suchas Al and 42 from end pieces 26 and SI. A thrust bearing 43 may beprovided to prevent longitudinal movement with respect to the rotor.

In accordance with this invention seal 44 between section 36 of theimpeller and end piece 3 25 of the rotor and the seal 45 between thehollow hub section 39 and end piece 31 serve to prevent passage ofmaterials bein subjected to centrifugation into the bearings M and 52and to prevent contamination of these materials by lubricant from thebearings.

The bearings M and 422 may be lubricated from an external source throughthe channels 46 and 41. Excess lubricant passing through the bearingswill be thrown into the areas 48 and 49 adjacent to the seals 44 and 45.Here the lubricant will serve to assist in sealing the bearings frommaterial which may reach the seals from the zone of centrifugation inthe rotor. When the levels of materials in the areas 48 and 69 risetowards the bearings 41 and 42, material is drawn off through the ventsB and El before these levels reach the bearings. Preferably these ventsdischarge outside the bowl housing 29 in order to furnish an immediatewarning of seal difficulty with the discharge of any materials which maybuild up in the chambers 48 and 19.

Although the foregoing discussion has been limited to a centrifugalmachine in which the rotor is directly driven from a source of power andthe impeller is driven through suitable gearing connected to the rotor,this arrangement of drive is not to be regarded as a limitation of theinvention. It will be obvious that the impeller may be directly drivenfrom the source of power, that the gear box may be driven from theimpeller, and that the rotor may be revolved at a speed differing fromthat of the impeller through the medium of the gear box. Anothersuitable method of drive may be to connect a section of the gear boxdirectly to a source of power.

The difference in speed of rotation of the impeller member i l and therotor 33 obtained through the gear box H3 are achieved by means wellknown in the art, many difierent power transmission mechanisms havingbeen disclosed for this purpose. As illustrated this includes aplanetary system having a pinion 54 the rotation of which is restrictedby a lever 12 and connecting link 3'3 attached to control mechanismforming no part of this invention.

The rate of feed of slurry into the rotor of the centrifugal iscontrolled by the valve H acting in the feed conduit 59. As illustratedgate '30 and the body H of this valve are so formed by use of curvedsurfaces against the flow line of the slurry that solids suspended inthe liquid portion of the slurry which may impinge upon surfaces of thevalve or valve body cannot remain thereon because the angles of thesurfaces to the lines of flow are greater than the dynamic angle ofrepose of the solids.

A valve motor 9% is illustrated in Figure l as having a piston 95 whichacts under fluid pressure within chamber 9! against the reaction of thespring 98, fluid pressure being admitted through line 983. Valve gate isshown attached to piston 95 by means of a'piston rod 99; thus, theposition of the piston determines the aperture of the valve 'l-l. Anyother means for controlling valve may be provided.

The extent of the centrifugal operation to which materials in the feedslurry are subjected is controlled by adjusting the axial position ofthe slurry feed means-so that the location of the zone of discharge ofslurry from the feed conduit may be axially moved as described andclaimed in my above-mentioned parent application. One method of doingthis is by changing the position of the conduit 22 which relocates thedischarge port Hlil in which the slurry passes into the discharge zonei2. Conduit 2-2 may be positioned by means of a lock screw ml or anysimilar positioning device so that the discharge port lilil may belocated in any desired relationship with the deflectors m2. A pluralityof openings in the conduit 22, each individually controlled, orrelocation of the discharge lip of the port we may be used to accomplishthis same purpose.

Slurry is fed to the machine through a zone I03 01" the impeller whenthe conduit 22 is at the right as shown in Figure 1. When the conduit 22is the left instead of at the right as shown in Figure 1, the feedslurry passes into the rotor through a zone 104 of the impeller. Thiszone N34 is more remote from the solids-discharge port 2? than the zone103 and therefore solid materials in the slurry are subjected tocentrifugation for a longer period of time if the slurry is fed throughthe zone 1% than if the slurry is fed through the zone 33. Thedeflectors I62 serve to direct the slurry selectively or in any desiredrelative proportion into the zones 56% and Hit. Blades 23 serve toaccelerate the move ment of the slurry as it passes radially through theimpeller hub into the hollow body of the rotor:

The rotor cover 23 is formed in sections to permit rapid opening andinspection of the rotor and discharge conduits. This is accomplished byclamping means such as the swivelled studs Hi5 which are normally heldin place by the wing nuts me. To prevent discharge of materials thrownfrom the rotor ports under centrifugal force, the baifle it? which maybe integral with or attached to an upper section H33 oi the rotor coveroverlaps lower section IE9 in the direction of rotation of the rotor i3.On the other side of the rotor a bailie Hi1 integral with or attached tothe lower section 199 of the rotor housing overlaps the upper sectionH38 in the direction of ro tation of the rotor. The upper section of therotor housing I68 may be supported from the lower section 289 by meansof the flanges iii and H2 on the upper and lower sections respectively.

The baffles ifs! and Hi3 prevent leakage or" liquid and solid materialsdischarged from the bowl through ports 25 and 21 respectively to thearea adjacent to the machine. The discharge of liquid is confined to theconduit H3 and the discharge of solids to the conduit lili which haveappropriate connections for delivery of separated materials intoreceiving vessels not a part of the machine. Use of these bafflespermits the employment of quick locking features such as the swivelstuds described to fasten the upper sec tion of the rotor housing to thelower section. Gaskets between the sections of the housing may bedispensed with because of this baffling. These two elements, quickfasteners and the absence of a gasket, greatly facilitate removal of asection of the rotor housing whenever it is desirable or necessary toinspect the rotor and the discharge conduits for liquid and solidmaterials.

Various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention andI do not therefore wish to be limited except by the scope of thefollowing claims.

-I claim:

1. A centrifugal separator having a rotor, member within said rotormounted for rotation about the axis of rotation of said rotor, a spacefor centrifugal separation between said member and the inner peripheryof said rotor, bearings for said member at opposite ends thereof, a sealassociated with each said bearing for isolating said bearing from saidspace for centrifugal separation, said seal being at a greater radialdistance from said axis than said bearing, a vent positioned betweensaid seal and said bearing at a radial distance from said axis betweenthat of said seal and that of said bearing, and means for introducinglubricant into said bearing on the opposite side thereof from said seal.

2. A centrifugal separator having a rotor, a member within said rotormounted for rotation about the axis of rotation of said rotor, a spacefor centrifugal separation between said member and the inner peripheryof said rotor, bearings for said member at opposite ends thereof, a sealassociated with each said bearing for isolating said bearing from saidspace for centrifugal separation, said seal being at a greater radialdistance from said axis than said bearing, and a vent positioned betweensaid seal and said bearing at a radial distance from said axis betweenthat of said seal and that of said bearing.

3. A centrifugal separator having a rotor, a member within said rotormounted for relative rotation therein, a space for centrifugalseparation between said member and the inner periphery of said rotor, abearing for said member, a seal associated with said bearing forisolating said bearing from said space for centrifugal separation, saidseal being at a greater radial distance from the axis of rotation ofsaid rotor than said bearing, a vent positioned between said seal andsaid bearing at a radial distance from said axis between that of saidseal and that of said bearing, and means for introducing lubricant intosaid bearing on the opposite side thereof from said seal.

4. A centrifugal separator having a rotor, a member within said rotormounted for relative rotation therein, a space for centrifugalseparation between said member and the inner periphery of said rotor, abearing for said member, a seal associated with said bearing forisolating said bearing from said space for centrifugal separation, saidseal being at a greater radial distance from the axis of rotation ofsaid rotor than said bearing, and a vent positioned between said sealand said bearing at a radial distance from said axis between that ofsaid seal and that of said bearing.

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